Sunday, 30 July 2017

Muslim terror condemnations just so much obfuscation

LETTER TO SCMP:

I guess we all know of the non-apology apology: "I'm sorry if you feel offended". How about the non-condemnatory condemnation? This is what we've been hearing from a phalanx of Islamic apologists in your pages recently. Syed Ridwan Elahi is just the latest in this genre ("Muslim voices against terror drowned out", July 30).

They all claim that they have been condemning terrorism. So why are we "misguided" non-Muslims still complaining?

Well, because these so-called condemnations are not really condemnations at all: terrorism is by people "with Muslim names" (i.e. they're not real Muslims). Or the terrorists have "distorted" Islam's message (i.e. It has nothing to do with Islam). Or terrorism is the fault of the West (i.e. because of "our wars of terror in the Middle East").

What I'd like to see is some real honesty from these representatives of Islam, not obfuscation, obscurantism and deflection.

Some brave Muslims - but too few - have addressed this issue front on: selected Koranic doctrines mandate the terrorising and killing of infidels. Many more Muslims - especially those in leadership positions - need to face up to these doctrines and neutralise them. The same as has been done with the Bible.

No one imagines this will be easy. But the process can't begin until it's acknowledged.

Until then no amount of non-condemnation condemnation is going to cut the ice.

Ordinary Muslims and ­Muslim leaders alike have been condemning acts of extremism committed by individuals with Muslim names for as far back as this has been an issue, but these are clearly being drowned out by endless futile calls for the same.

To echo the words of journalist John Pilger: to end terror, it is perhaps best to end our wars of terror in the Middle East.

"...it is the duty of those who have accepted Islam to strive unceasingly to convert or subjugate those who have not. This obligation is without limit of time or space. It must continue until the whole world has either accepted the Islamic faith or submitted to the power of the Islamic state."

-- Bernard Lewis, renowned historian of Islam and the Middle East, in The Political Language of Islam, p72-3.

In other words:

"Islam is unique among religions of the world in having a developed doctrine, theology and legal system that mandates warfare against unbelievers."